A collaboration led by Scripps Research has developed a way to separate the beneficial anti-inflammatory properties of a group of steroids called glucocorticoids from some of their unwanted side-effects, through an optimization process they named “ligand class analysis.”
Their process enabled them to engineer two new, drug-like compounds that show steroidal anti-inflammatory action and other specific traits. One boosts muscle and energy supply, while the other reduces risk of muscle-wasting and bone loss typical of such drugs.
Their report, titled, “Chemical systems biology reveals mechanisms of glucocorticoid receptor signalling,” appeared Jan. 28 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones, a group that includes cortisone, prednisone and dexamethasone. Among the most frequently prescribed of medications, their anti-inflammatory properties make them useful in an array of forms and doses.
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Nature Chemical Biology. Research Report:
